The game was halted with 4:37 left in the third quarter and was not resumed. Chaparral, leading 17-7 when Diaz went down, has since been awarded the victory, dropping Redlands to 0-2 in non-league play.

Four days later, the mood was considerably more upbeat as Diaz’s mother, Elena Alvidrez, conveyed via social media her son was out of the hospital.

“He is home!!!” Alvidrez tweeted. “Thanks be to God for answering our prayers and thank all of you for your love and support.”

Less than a week earlier, things looked bleak for the popular running back/defensive back, who also stars in baseball. As he was being given CPR by medical personnel, Redlands players audibly gasped and some began yelling and even cursing. A woman in the Terrier stands was praying so loudly she could be heard several sections away.

But by Saturday sources close to the Redlands program said Diaz was stable, breathing on his own, able to communicate with doctors and family members and was underdoing tests.

“Things are good,” Elena Alvidrez said Thursday by phone. “Christian is getting stronger each day. He’s undergoing tests to see exactly what is going on.”

It was hardly an ideal start to Diaz’s season, as the week of the Chaparral game it was learned the player’s liver and spleen were slightly enlarged, causing him to miss the contest against the Pumas.

As for the player’s collapse on the sideline, that’s a mystery.

“We don’t know why,” Alvidrez said. “He has a strong heart and there are some theories about it. But it’s been frustrating because nobody knows what caused the episode.”

Following an approximate 30-minute delay, the teams gathered at midfield and it was announced over the public address system the game would not be continued.

Alvidrez has kept well-wishers updated on the teen’s progress since the emergency, posting photos and bits of information via Twitter.

“It’s one day at a time,” she said Thursday. “He’s keeping hydrated and making all his (medical) appointments. The doctors want him to take it easy and not exert himself.”

Diaz’s playing status for the rest of the season is unknown. He led the Terriers in rushing last season with 435 yards; he also hit more than .300 for the baseball team.

The boy’s mom is grateful for all in the community who have wished her son well, including former Redlands High multi-sport star and Milwaukee Brewers catcher Jacob Nottingham.

“I’ve been blown away, honestly,” she said. “I’m speechless. I know that Christian has a lot of friends, but to see the support he’s gotten from people from other high schools and opposing coaches and youth baseball coaches has really been amazing.”